ModeratorOwner

Matt, can you flick ahead and back a few pages each way in your book? Is there absolutely no mention of 'Jaguar' and/or 'E-type' in the Italian text?

I'm getting a hit via Google Books for 'Enzo Ferrari' and 'E-Type' in English translation of the Rancati book published by Haynes in 1989. It's showing the right preview to see that particular text, but this 1989 archive copy of Motor Sport magazine backs up the fact that Rancati definitely claimed it in the late 1980s (though still nothing but his assertion that it happened):https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/march-1989/54/enzo-ferrari-man

What I'm getting at is: if there is 100% no reference to it in that chapter of the Italian (original) text, and yet it made its way into the English translation 12 years later...

-Ed

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I apologize, Ed. I’ve misplaced the book.

I’ll look closer when I find it again. I read it quickly but pretty thoroughly, if only because that was the sole reason I bought the book in the first place.

ModeratorOwner

“When the E Type Jaguar cabriolet came out, he told me he considered it to be the most beautiful car in the world, but then he also told me that he wanted a Rolls-Royce, but could not afford it.”

Rancati’s own words, not a direct quotation. And pretty much out of any relevant context. The previous paragraph was on Enzo’s desire to be prepared for meetings, the following paragraph on how he still found women interesting.

Rossa Subscribed

Well... all that shows so far is that it's in the English translation. Even if it's also in the Italian, that's pretty weak as evidence goes (and most likely the recent 'recollections' by people who were there in period are probably based on the book's claim as well).

However, the really interesting thing will be if it's *not* in the Italian original. Watch this space.

Silver SubscribedOwner

“When the E Type Jaguar cabriolet came out, he told me he considered it to be the most beautiful car in the world, but then he also told me that he wanted a Rolls-Royce, but could not afford it.”

Rancati’s own words, not a direct quotation. And pretty much out of any relevant context. The previous paragraph was on Enzo’s desire to be prepared for meetings, the following paragraph on how he still found women interesting.

Matt

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This is indeed on page 166 of Gino Rancate, of the English language hard bound book "Enzo Ferrari the Man" published by Haynes in 1988.

The previous book, in Italian, was Gino Rancati, Ferrari, Lui published by Sonzogno in a paper back book in 1977.
Towards the bottom of of the last paragraph on page 164 appears

ModeratorOwner

Admittedly not knowing much Italian, it looks to me that the English and Italian sentences say the same thing.

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Thank you for that.

So Again it’s Rancati’s loose recollection and not a direct quote. It sounds rather glib and not too serious, especially when the line about wanting a Rolls-Royce if he could only afford it is in the same sentence.

It’s also interesting that it’s only in Rancati’s book, and doesn’t appear anywhere else. No other biographers, and no other contemporary sources.